A Brief History of Roger Federer's Match-Winning Hair

7 Photos

July 11, 2015

Roger Federer has been in the spot he’s at right now many times. Tomorrow, he’ll square off against Novak Djokovic in the men’s finals at Wimbledon. If he beats the Serbian, he’ll be claiming his eighth win at the world-famous match. It’ll be a tough game, these are two tennis titans and Djokovic is on top of his game. But nobody in tennis, the world, and possibly even Westeros (apologies, Lord Snow) can touch Federer’s hair game. His main is a flowing trophy of grooming glory. See for yourself.

2003

Proof that Federer is a grooming god: He was way ahead of the man-bun trend. Here, he holds his cup triumphantly in the front, while telling the world he's a trend-psychic in the back. And yeah, it's a pony tail, but all buns must pass this point before reaching their mature stage.

2005

Here's the Federer we're a little more familiar with. Long, flowing, and somehow, perfectly cared for in the midst of one of the toughest athletic trials in the world. When people say "tennis hair" this is what they mean.

2006

The thing that makes hair like this really outstanding is volume. It gives it some life and some structure. The headband helps (more for tennis) but keeping that strong structure throughout gives everything good balance and that sought-after waviness. Hard to maintain, but worth it if you can do it.

2009

In tennis, style swerves drop the "w" and they become style serves. This, gentlemen, is a serve. The thing you'll want to note here is the condition of Federer's hair. Even in battle, it looks healthy, clean, and strong. If you want to get that, you've just got to learn your proper shampooing and maintenance routine. This'll help.

2012

Though his hair looks great on the court, when it's out of action, it gets that extra benefit of being relaxed. If you have longer hair, try leaving a tiny bit of conditioner un-rinsed when you take a shower, then towel dry. It'll lock in some of that extra moisture, leaving it shiny but not greasy. Let's also take a moment to appreciate the general style here—perfect sweater, shirt, and watch. Nice trophy, too.

2015

And here we are today. Federer has stuck with what works for him, a lesson that we could all stand to learn from. (He cut his hair once in 2013, AND LOST.) Even if he doesn't take out Djokovic tomorrow, at least he knows he's got the best hair Wimbledon has ever seen.

Getty Images

BBC News & Current Affairs via G

The power of the pony tail strikes again. For his second win in 2004, Federer stayed with what he knew. It worked. He got the trophy, and he looked damn good doing so.

2004

WireImage

Here's the Federer we're a little more familiar with. Long, flowing, and somehow, perfectly cared for in the midst of one of the toughest athletic trials in the world. When people say "tennis hair" this is what they mean.

2005

Getty Images

The thing that makes hair like this really outstanding is volume. It gives it some life and some structure. The headband helps (more for tennis) but keeping that strong structure throughout gives everything good balance and that sought-after waviness. Hard to maintain, but worth it if you can do it.

2006

Getty Images

In tennis, style swerves drop the "w" and they become style serves. This, gentlemen, is a serve. The thing you'll want to note here is the condition of Federer's hair. Even in battle, it looks healthy, clean, and strong. If you want to get that, you've just got to learn your proper shampooing and maintenance routine. This'll help.

2009

Getty Images

Though his hair looks great on the court, when it's out of action, it gets that extra benefit of being relaxed. If you have longer hair, try leaving a tiny bit of conditioner un-rinsed when you take a shower, then towel dry. It'll lock in some of that extra moisture, leaving it shiny but not greasy. Let's also take a moment to appreciate the general style here—perfect sweater, shirt, and watch. Nice trophy, too.

2012

Getty Images

And here we are today. Federer has stuck with what works for him, a lesson that we could all stand to learn from. (He cut his hair once in 2013, AND LOST.) Even if he doesn't take out Djokovic tomorrow, at least he knows he's got the best hair Wimbledon has ever seen.